Qatar signs on to buy 12 Rafale fighter jets from France

DOHA, Qatar — Qatar’s ruling emir and French President Emmanuel Macron signed $12 billion in deals during the French president’s visit to Doha on Thursday, including the purchase of 12 French-made Dassault Rafale fighter jets with the option of buying 36 more.

Qatar exercised its existing right to purchase 12 more, bringing the total number of Rafales the Gulf Arab country will have to 36.

Macron’s one-day trip to the small Gulf nation comes as it faces continued isolation and a boycott by some of its Arab neighbors.

In a rare press conference, Qatar’s ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, expressed his regret for the boycott and said it was especially disheartening that the crisis erupted during the holy month of Ramadan in June.

Earlier this week, a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Kuwait failed to bring the standoff any closer to a resolution. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut relations with Qatar over allegations it supports extremists and has too-close relations with Iran.

Qatar has long denied supporting extremists and shares a massive offshore natural gas field with Tehran.

Meanwhile, France and Qatar also agreed Thursday on a deal for Qatar to purchase 490 VBCI armored vehicles from French firm Nexter, and a transportation deal with France’s national rail authority to manage and maintain Doha’s planned metro, as well as a light rail system north of Doha. Qatar announced it would additionally buy 50 Airbus twin-engine A321s with option of buying 30 more.

During his visit to Qatar, Macron traveled to the vast al-Udeid air base, which is crucial to the ongoing fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria and to the war in Afghanistan.

The air base is home to some 10,000 American troops and the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command. France also has a contingent of several hundred French troops in Qatar as part of the 1,200 French forces active in the region as part of the U.S.-led international coalition against extremists.

Macron smiled and shook hands with the French and American soldiers who greeted him at the base before walking into a meeting with the base’s top commanders.

Speaking to coalition soldiers, he said the next few months of battle will determine the outcome of the war against the IS group in Iraq in Syria.

“This military win does not signify the end of the operations and the end of our battle because first we need to stabilize and win peace in Iraq and Syria,” he told troops. “Next spring is decisive in the situation in Iraq.”

Macron also stressed in his remarks at the air base that France wants to avoid partition in Syria and “avoid the domination of certain international elements whose interests contradict peace.”

"Qatar agreed to firm up an option from 2015 to buy 12 more Dassault Aviation-made Rafale fighters, and said it could purchase a further 36. It had already bought 24 planes for about 6 billion euros ($7.11 billion), including missiles."

"Qatar agreed to firm up an option from 2015 to buy 12 more Dassault Aviation-made Rafale fighters, and said it could purchase a further 36. It had already bought 24 planes for about 6 billion euros ($7.11 billion), including missiles."

I basically want Qatar to be annexed just so we can take their Raffys at this point.

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Well bro, if such an annexation ever occurs it will be done by KSA once again. Jokes aside, once the current idiotic dispute is solved, those birds will serve the GCC and wider Arab world. Rest assured that they will not be used against KSA or Egypt.

However I more "worried" about there being more fighter jets eventually than citizens in Qatar let alone pilots. Not sure what they are planning exactly in this regard.

DOHA, Qatar — Qatar’s ruling emir and French President Emmanuel Macron signed $12 billion in deals during the French president’s visit to Doha on Thursday, including the purchase of 12 French-made Dassault Rafale fighter jets with the option of buying 36 more.

Qatar exercised its existing right to purchase 12 more, bringing the total number of Rafales the Gulf Arab country will have to 36.

Macron’s one-day trip to the small Gulf nation comes as it faces continued isolation and a boycott by some of its Arab neighbors.

In a rare press conference, Qatar’s ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, expressed his regret for the boycott and said it was especially disheartening that the crisis erupted during the holy month of Ramadan in June.

Earlier this week, a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Kuwait failed to bring the standoff any closer to a resolution. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut relations with Qatar over allegations it supports extremists and has too-close relations with Iran.

Qatar has long denied supporting extremists and shares a massive offshore natural gas field with Tehran.

Meanwhile, France and Qatar also agreed Thursday on a deal for Qatar to purchase 490 VBCI armored vehicles from French firm Nexter, and a transportation deal with France’s national rail authority to manage and maintain Doha’s planned metro, as well as a light rail system north of Doha. Qatar announced it would additionally buy 50 Airbus twin-engine A321s with option of buying 30 more.

During his visit to Qatar, Macron traveled to the vast al-Udeid air base, which is crucial to the ongoing fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria and to the war in Afghanistan.

The air base is home to some 10,000 American troops and the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command. France also has a contingent of several hundred French troops in Qatar as part of the 1,200 French forces active in the region as part of the U.S.-led international coalition against extremists.

Macron smiled and shook hands with the French and American soldiers who greeted him at the base before walking into a meeting with the base’s top commanders.

Speaking to coalition soldiers, he said the next few months of battle will determine the outcome of the war against the IS group in Iraq in Syria.

“This military win does not signify the end of the operations and the end of our battle because first we need to stabilize and win peace in Iraq and Syria,” he told troops. “Next spring is decisive in the situation in Iraq.”

Macron also stressed in his remarks at the air base that France wants to avoid partition in Syria and “avoid the domination of certain international elements whose interests contradict peace.”

"DOHA, Qatar — Qatar’s ruling emir and French President Emmanuel Macron signed $12 billion in deals during the French president’s visit to Doha on Thursday, including the purchase of 12 French-made Dassault Rafale fighter jets with the option of buying 36 more."

The 12 new ones are the option exercised on top of 24 already ordered.. the total will be 36.. the article was badly translated from Arabic..
Anyhow.. you can't add an option to an option!.. you need to negotiate another contract..

"DOHA, Qatar — Qatar’s ruling emir and French President Emmanuel Macron signed $12 billion in deals during the French president’s visit to Doha on Thursday, including the purchase of 12 French-made Dassault Rafale fighter jets with the option of buying 36 more."

The 12 new ones are the option exercised on top of 24 already ordered.. the total will be 36.. the article was badly translated from Arabic..
Anyhow.. you can't add an option to an option!.. you need to negotiate another contract..

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Nope... there is a 36 pcs in option signed... and it was verified by the French gov...

Well bro, if such an annexation ever occurs it will be done by KSA once again. Jokes aside, once the current idiotic dispute is solved, those birds will serve the GCC and wider Arab world. Rest assured that they will not be used against KSA or Egypt.

However I more "worried" about there being more fighter jets eventually than citizens in Qatar let alone pilots. Not sure what they are planning exactly in this regard.

Click to expand...

Serving in GCC countries, after retirement of course, is a part of the job description advertised for enrolling PAF pilots!!!!!!! On a serious note, IAF folks shouldn't be happy at all seeing so many Rafael's flying around!!!!!

I really don't understand what all this fuss is about. This is a follow on order where Qatar previously purchased 24 Rafales for $7.02bn which is around $300 million per jet and Egypt bought 24 Rafales for $5.9bn which is $245 million per jet while India purchased 36 Rafales for $8.6bn

The recently signed agreement of 12 Rafales is a follow on order and India would get the follow on order at 60% of the current price. Moreover, India has 50% offset clause where half that money would be re-invested in India

DOHA, Qatar — Qatar’s ruling emir and French President Emmanuel Macron signed $12 billion in deals during the French president’s visit to Doha on Thursday, including the purchase of 12 French-made Dassault Rafale fighter jets with the option of buying 36 more.

Qatar exercised its existing right to purchase 12 more, bringing the total number of Rafales the Gulf Arab country will have to 36.

Macron’s one-day trip to the small Gulf nation comes as it faces continued isolation and a boycott by some of its Arab neighbors.

In a rare press conference, Qatar’s ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, expressed his regret for the boycott and said it was especially disheartening that the crisis erupted during the holy month of Ramadan in June.

Earlier this week, a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Kuwait failed to bring the standoff any closer to a resolution. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut relations with Qatar over allegations it supports extremists and has too-close relations with Iran.

Qatar has long denied supporting extremists and shares a massive offshore natural gas field with Tehran.

Meanwhile, France and Qatar also agreed Thursday on a deal for Qatar to purchase 490 VBCI armored vehicles from French firm Nexter, and a transportation deal with France’s national rail authority to manage and maintain Doha’s planned metro, as well as a light rail system north of Doha. Qatar announced it would additionally buy 50 Airbus twin-engine A321s with option of buying 30 more.

During his visit to Qatar, Macron traveled to the vast al-Udeid air base, which is crucial to the ongoing fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria and to the war in Afghanistan.

The air base is home to some 10,000 American troops and the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command. France also has a contingent of several hundred French troops in Qatar as part of the 1,200 French forces active in the region as part of the U.S.-led international coalition against extremists.

Macron smiled and shook hands with the French and American soldiers who greeted him at the base before walking into a meeting with the base’s top commanders.

Speaking to coalition soldiers, he said the next few months of battle will determine the outcome of the war against the IS group in Iraq in Syria.

“This military win does not signify the end of the operations and the end of our battle because first we need to stabilize and win peace in Iraq and Syria,” he told troops. “Next spring is decisive in the situation in Iraq.”

Macron also stressed in his remarks at the air base that France wants to avoid partition in Syria and “avoid the domination of certain international elements whose interests contradict peace.”

I was surpsied to read that Qatar added 36 more Rafale on option after signing the existing option of the first deal.

This means that there's a potential to sell 72 Rafale to Qatar.

Good to see the country still trusting French aircraft manufacturers after buying Mirage F1s,Alpha Jets and Mirage2000s in the past.

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Surprisingly Qatar has been a close French ally as well and they have historically bought more French fighter jets than other Arab states who have been more closer to the U.S and U.K.
This is a very good deal for France though. Congrats.

Surprisingly Qatar has been a close French ally as well and they have historically bought more French fighter jets than other Arab states who have been more closer to the U.S and U.K.
This is a very good deal for France though. Congrats.

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You are confusing Qatar with the UAE.. Qatar has only 11 Mirage fighters.. the UAE more than 50..even Egypt has more Mirage than Qatar..